Jose Mourinho Defends Vinicius Junior After Champions League Win
Jose Mourinho stepped into the firing line for Vinicius Junior on Tuesday night, standing up for the Brazilian after sections of the Santiago Bernabeu turned on him despite Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League.
The result was exactly what Madrid needed. The performance was not.
Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde struck for the hosts, with Carlos Augusto replying for Inter in a breathless contest that never really settled. Madrid were far from convincing, especially in the middle of the pitch, and Mourinho did not try to hide it.
“A crazy match,” he called it on Movistar. Not wild, not open. Crazy. The kind of game that leaves coaches exhausted and neutrals wanting more.
“We are often criticised when the match is boring,” he said. “Today it was crazy, and it could have ended 7-6 without any problem.”
Madrid’s midfield, though, gave him more headaches than joy.
“Our midfield was weak,” he admitted. “They made changes very early, and I did not have many options in midfield.”
Inter sensed that vulnerability and poured forward, repeatedly finding space and forcing Madrid back towards their own box. The visitors kept creating chances, and the Bernabeu grew restless, even with the scoreline in Madrid’s favour.
Thibaut Courtois stood between that chaos and a collapse. The Belgian goalkeeper produced a string of important saves to keep Madrid in front, but Mourinho refused to let the narrative reduce the win to a one-man show.
“Courtois made many saves,” he said, “but how many goals did we waste on the counter-attacks? It was a wonderful match.”
For Mourinho, the story of the night was not just about survival. He pointed to the work Madrid did without the ball, especially the pressing that forced mistakes and paved the way for their goals. Valverde, who got on the scoresheet, earned particular praise for that unseen graft.
The sharpest part of Mourinho’s message, though, was aimed at his own fans.
Vinicius, still searching for top form after his return, found himself jeered by some supporters. The reaction cut against everything Mourinho wants from his crowd, and he moved quickly to shield the forward.
“He has not yet reached his full readiness, and he is not yet the Vinicius we know,” Mourinho said. “But he works a lot, and whoever works and gives everything he has deserves respect.”
That was the line he wanted to leave hanging in the night air at the Bernabeu: effort must be recognised, even when the spark is missing.
Madrid walk away with three points, questions about their midfield, and a manager publicly backing a star who is still climbing back to his level. Vinicius now has his answer to the whistles: Rayo Vallecano, LaLiga, and a chance to let his football speak louder than the jeers.
